Here & Now

Ron Kind Talks Health Care, Fiscal Cliff

Frederica Freyberg:

First, here’s 3rd district US representative Democrat Ron Kind, and Congressman Kind joins us from Washington. And thanks a lot for doing so.

Ron Kind:

Hi, Fred. Glad to be with you.

Frederica Freyberg:

What’s your reaction to Governor Walker’s decision today?

Ron Kind:

Well, naturally I’m very disappointed. You know, the election is over. It’s time to put partisanship aside and start putting the best interests of the people in Wisconsin first. You know, I led earlier this week, a Democratic congressional delegation letter to Governor Walker, expressing our support for him if he wants to move forward in implementing this state health based exchange. You know what I don’t understand, Fred, every year when I introduce this legislation, the Shops Act that the exchange is based on, I had an equal number of Republicans and Democrats that supported it. What’s not to like? What it does, it creates this exchange, amongst competing health care plans, so small business owners, family farmers, individuals, can choose amongst those competing plans. And then we couple it with tax credits to make it more affordable for everyone. It’s market-based, it’s into the government-run health care system. It provides maximum flexibility back to states, such as Wisconsin, and I think we can do it very well the Wisconsin way, rather than having the Department of Health and Human Services come in and do it for us. So I think it’s an unfortunate decision. And it’s unfortunate because I know Wisconsin could be a leader on this, showing a model of exchanges that can work well throughout the country.

Frederica Freyberg:

Well, he says the feds would make all of the decisions anyway, except if Wisconsin claimed its own health care exchange. Our taxpayers he says, would have greater exposure to increased costs. What about that line of reasoning?

Ron Kind:

You know, I don’t know where he’s coming from that. You know, those states that have moved forward, whether it was Governor Romney in Massachusetts, whether it’s Utah. The last time I checked Utah is not exactly a blue state. Have been able to establish their own exchanges and they’re working very well. It’s creating that competition in the health insurance market that’s lacking right now. And it addresses a serious problem in Wisconsin, the small group market that’s been failing, our small businesses, our family farmers, our individuals, too long. If you look at the number of uninsured, most of them are working Americans in small businesses, who can’t provide health care coverage on their own. The exchanges are meant to address that, through competition, forcing prices down, and then tax credits to make it more affordable. That’s why there’s been great bipartisan support until it became a part of the Affordable Care Act, health care reform. And that’s what’s unfortunate about this decision. Especially given the number of voices back in Wisconsin that wanted to see it from, WMC, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, Wisconsin Hospital Association, the state medical society. There were many voices that are typically Republican allies, saying this makes sense. Let’s move forward. Let’s do it the Wisconsin way and have control ourselves. So the governor’s decision obviously is a big disappointment.

Frederica Freyberg:

Given the continuing divergent directions on health care, how concerned are you that both sides will be able to come together, so that we don’t fall off this so called fiscal cliff, that being the automatic expiration of the tax cuts, combined with steep federal spending cuts.

Ron Kind:

Well, Fred, we have to. In fact, that’s what I heard from people back home in Wisconsin. It’s time to put the politics aside. It’s time for us to come together and listen to each other. Find the common ground that I know exists out there and start making some tough decisions to get our fiscal house back in order. That’s the answer to the fiscal cliff, is reaching a long-term deficit-reduction agreement that’s bipartisan. And even though President Obama won a resounding electoral college victory, it was a narrow popular vote margin and we still have divided government. So that by definition is going to require compromise. And the key to this and the fastest growing area of spending again, is rising health care costs. So we have to get back to common sense solutions of how we can bring those costs down, while improving the quality of care. And fortunately, again for us in Wisconsin, we have health care providers that have been showing us the way, more integrated, coordinated, patient-centered health care. And then ultimately we need to change the way we pay for health care in this country. So it’s based on value, not volume. In fact, a recent study showed that we’re spending over $750 billion every year on things that don’t work. They don’t improve patient care. That’s what we need to be focused on as far as getting our fiscal house in order. That’s where I think again Wisconsin can lead the rest of the nation, to show the way of good value health care and paying accordingly.

Frederica Freyberg:

You’re confident that, in fact, some kind of a decision will be made and the fiscal cliff will not happen?

Ron Kind:

Well, I hope so, because we all know where we need to be. This is like the Middle East peace plan, I tell people. We know where we need to end up. It’s now finding the political will to get there. In fact, over 80 CEO’s from across the country just submitted their recommendation of what an agreement should look like. It’s going to entail some revenue. It’s going to entail some major spending reforms. And that is exactly what every bipartisan commission that’s been formed to address this problem, it’s what they’ve come up with. And so that is the template that we have to work on. Now we need to find the political will to do it. Here’s my prediction, Fred. No matter what agreement is reached, we’re probably going to have to vote two it with one hand and hold our nose with the other. Because the nature of compromise is give and take. There will be things in it that everyone can point to and say, you know, I really don’t like that provision. Yet it’s going to be important for us, for the sake of the country as a whole, to give up some of that for the sake of compromise. And be willing to do what’s in the best interest for people back home in Wisconsin and ultimately for our country.

Frederica Freyberg:

We need to leave it there. Congressman Ron Kind, thanks very much.

Ron Kind:
Thanks, Fred.